The 25 centres had a total budget of only Tk 147.65 lakh for research, laboratory and infrastructures for fiscal 2006-07, Tk 119.50 lakh revised budget for 2005-06, Tk 109.25 lakh for 2004-05, Tk 58.30 lakh for 2003-04 and Tk 38.47 lakh for 2002-03.

On an average, the university could allocate only Tk 94.63 lakh per annum during last five years to its research centres.

Due to the resource constraints, many of the centres could not function properly, said officials.

Only a few centres had something for publication in the annual statement of the university in 2006.

Allocation of nominal funds virtually kept a few research centres non-functional. During 2006-07, for example, DU allocated Tk 10000 to its Urban Research Centre, Tk 45000 for Nazrul Research Centre and Tk 45000 for Organic Pollutants Research Centre.

An administrative official of the Social Science Research Centre said, "We had an allocation of Tk 2.60 lakh last fiscal for salary, research and publication."

"We were unable to carry out any research activities worth mentioning because of resource constraints," he added.

Officials of the different centres said paltry honorarium paid to their directors, gives them hardly any incentive to work.

Many of the centres have also lost their importance as different faculties of the university have their own publications. All the faculties except Pharmacy publish the research works of their teachers.

"The research centres take more time to select works for publication. Often, they do not properly evaluate the works and offer little honorarium," said a teacher of the Social Science Faculty.

"Teachers are interested in getting their research papers published by their respective faculties, which is much easier to do," he added.